Marcellus to discuss $800,000 green project

The village of Marcellus will hold a meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday Nov. 4 in village hall to give residents a chance to learn about a pricey composting project currently being considered. The project, estimated at almost $800,000, would involve building a composting facility at the current Waste Water Treatment Plant on North Street in Marcellus. A feasibility study for the project has already been completed, with successful results.

The village is considering the project as it becomes increasingly more expensive to ship sludge. The project would allow the plant operators to turn biosolids into a valuable fertilizer that could be offered to residents on a first come, first serve basis.

This would be the first composting operation of its kind in Onondaga County, though similar plants exist in Madison County.

Village engineers and water treatment plant operators will be at the meeting as well as Brian Romeiser, the village’s consultant for the project. Romeiser has consulted in the design of 13 composting facilities since 1990, nine of which are still open today.

The village expects to have access to a State Department of Environment Conservation grant that would pay for half of the project.